Open post

5/06/23 Life and Death

“Your relationship with Me will bring both life and death to you. Not only are you a new being, but I will continually pour Myself into you to conform you to the likeness of Jesus. That is true life! Our relationship will also bring death to your worldly ways. Your portion is to prepare for both. Observe when refiner’s fires or difficult circumstances are accomplishing a death to your flesh and strengthening your resolve to serve Jesus. Observe also when serene circumstances are used to build up your spirit, bringing life to your inner man by the power of the Holy Spirit. My life and death process will continue until Jesus comes for you. Don’t attempt to squirm out of difficult times any more than you would deny the restful, peaceful times. Both are accomplishing a great work in you.”

2 Cor. 1:8-10 NIV

8) We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.

9) Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

10) He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us…

2 Cor. 3:18 AMP

And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.

2 Cor. 5:17 AMP

Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ, (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!

Ja. 1:2-5 NIV

2) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

3) because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

4) Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

5) If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

 

As I look back on my walk (actually stumble) with the Lord, I see that the difficult times were the most productive times. They were the times that taught me how to need Jesus. They brought my pride low enough to call out His Name.

Those hard times also taught me about the faithfulness of our Father. As I reflect back, I see the wondrous pattern of a loving God taking care of His dumb kid, who over and over fell in the same mud puddle or tumbled out of the same tree. The life and death process of the Lord has done and will continue to do its work in me until I see Jesus. I am so glad for that promise.

Thank You for Your trials, Lord,

Jim Corbett

Open post

5/06/23 Birth Pangs

Sometimes the responsibility of holding our offices of husband and father becomes pretty overwhelming, especially if we’re attempting to hold them in a way that pleases the Lord. Standing in the gap for another until Christ is fully formed in that person - which is very much a part of our duties as stewards - is hard work. Paul described the process as if being in the pains of child birth.

My own experiences in laboring for my wife and family have sometimes seemed more than I can bear. It’s not that they had gone astray or were in such dire need of prayer outwardly; I just knew that they needed spiritual intervention, possibly to thwart off intended warfare by the enemy. In those times, it’s vitally important to remain in the gap for them, no matter what the cost might be.

Being a husband and father is no light duty. These offices are highly regarded by the Lord. They carry major responsibilities that are designed to benefit others rather than ourselves. It is a continual death to our own needs for the best interests of those He holds dear. It is sometimes painful, but most often incredibly rewarding as we see those we love prospering in Christ.

As you wait on God for your family, be ready to fight the fight for them at every opportunity. The labor pains may be intense at times, but the joy you are giving the Lord through your involvement in their lives is worth every effort put forth.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

 

Open post

5/05/23 Shepherds and Sheep

“A wonderful new season is about to be implemented. For many years, I have been separating the shepherds from the shepherds, and the sheep from the sheep. For those shepherds who are truly caring for My sheep, I am imparting a new anointing of boldness to speak My Words without compromise. I am searing their hearts with My fire and equipping them to lead My true sheep to fertile pastures full of life-giving nourishment. Those shepherds, who have led wandering sheep to dry fields, will continue to be satisfied with the brown grass they are giving to others. Soon they will have no strength to protect their sheep. They will only be able to stand by helplessly as the enemy devours their flock.

"You, My sheep, seek the shepherds who lead you to the fertile grass of My Word. Seek those who are without compromise. Seek those who lead you to holiness. If you can find no shepherd who is proclaiming My strong Word of holiness, you nourish My sheep. I will empower you to do so.”

 Jeremiah 2:13 NIV

“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”

Hosea 4:6 AMP

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you [the priestly nation] have rejected knowledge…

John 10:11-13 AMP 

11) I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep.

12) But the hired servant (he who merely serves for wages) who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away.  And the wolf chases and snatches them and scatters [the flock].

13) Now the hireling flees because he merely serves for wages and is not himself concerned about the sheep [cares nothing for them].

 

The world does not need programs; it needs Jesus. For many years, the success of a pastor has been gauged by how large his church is.  The Lord is bringing forth the truth that large churches do not necessarily mean healthy sheep. God is looking for pastors who will lead His church to desire holiness. He is also raising up people who will no longer tolerate weak leadership - leadership that is not spending enough time with the Lord to bring forth a Word from the heart of God.

In the above verses, the people perished for lack of knowledge. It was because the leaders rejected knowledge. God’s true church is hungry for uncompromised truth. Many are weak and sickly; others are outraged because they have been given empty food from teachers who have not been with Jesus. To satisfy that hunger, God is raising up leaders who desire only Jesus and can direct others to Him. Nothing else will satisfy.

Give me only Your food, Lord,

Jim Corbett

Open post

5/05/23 Nothing of Ourselves

If you are like most of us guys, plans, ideas, challenges, and a myriad of other mind games consume our time and cause us to seek outcomes that seem logical to us. We think our way into scenarios, feeling that it’s part of our function as husbands and fathers. Although planning for the future is good and necessary, plans that originate with “logical us” instead of God easily crop up, and a life ordained by us doesn’t glorify Him.

Although our Father in heaven wants us to steward our time wisely and make our days count, He is training us to leave every moment we live in His hands.  For most of us, that’s a hard thing to do even though we know that it’s right and it’s what Jesus did. He fully submitted to His Father’s will, doing nothing of Himself.

There’s probably not much you and I can do about how we’ve taken charge of our lives in the past. There is, however, an awful lot we can do from this time forward. Wisdom would say that it’s time for each of us to fully surrender to the Lord in every area of our lives. The example of Jesus fully surrendering His every thought, action, desire, and outcome to His Father is a pattern that pleases the heart of God. It’s also a formula for success as He sees it.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

Open post

5/04/23 Restoration

“I love restored relationships. Jesus died so that you could be restored to Me. It is My heart that you follow His example. His death was physical. To restore relationships, it always takes the death of someone’s choices. Someone must pursue the other in love. First, begin in prayer for the other party. If you have offended someone, seek forgiveness immediately and often until you have done all that you can. If he will not forgive you, turn him over to My heart. He will eventually deal with Me. You come to Me for forgiveness. My freedom will sustain you.

"If you have been offended, you must forgive that person immediately in your heart. Let Me work on his heart. Place the offense in My hands and be healed. If he is receptive to My hand, restoration will come forth. If and when that happens, wait on Me to tell you how and when to proceed. I will accomplish far more than if you would move without My presence. Be ready for My appointed time. Pursue restoration diligently in prayer but move in My freedom until it happens. When I orchestrate My appointed time, you say and do what I have told you to do in your prayers. Be humble. Forgive completely. Forget the offense by the power of My Holy Spirit. Move on in My love once I have begun restoration. Find a way to trust again at every opportunity.”

Matthew 5:23-24 NIV

23) “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

24) leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother: then come and offer your gift.”

Luke 15:19-20 AMP

19) I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] make me like one of your hired servants.

20) So he got up and came to his [own] father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness [for him]; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him [fervently].

John 7:6-8 NIV

6) Therefore Jesus told them, “The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right.

7) The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.

8) You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come.”

John 15:12-14 NIV

12) “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

13) Greater love has no one than this; that one lay down his life for his friends.

14) You are My friends if you do what I command.”

Acts 24:15-16 NIV

15) …and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

16) So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

 

God is always looking at the heart of His children. Love is always at the center of all that He does. He has given us the mandate to love others as He has loved us. Words and actions mean nothing if His heart motives are not the heart motives of all that is done in any situation.

The Word is very clear on how we should act when offenses take place. When people or situations make things muddy, however, we first need to know what Father has in mind for that specific situation. Diving into His presence and remaining there until we receive positive instructions that are in line with His Word are prerequisites, or we will move in our own motives and possibly cause greater harm. Once we have His heart and His timing, we can express His love properly in the confidence that He is with us.

Help me to seek Your heart in everything, Lord,

Jim Corbett

Posts navigation

1 2 3 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 802 803 804
Scroll to top